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F.A.Q. What is a conservation easement? A conservation easement is a voluntary contract between a landowner and a land trust, government agency, or another qualified organization in which the owner places permanent restrictions on the future uses of some or all of his property to protect scenic, wildlife, or agricultural resources. The restrictions usually limit the number of future home sites but can, and often do, limit other uses, as well. Conservation easements are specifically tailored to meet the conservation and financial/tax planning needs of each landowner; few conservation easements look alike because few properties are the same, and few landowners want exactly the same provisions. We write our conservation easements after meeting with each landowner numerous times and drafting and redrafting the document until all parties are satisfied. The easement is donated by the owner to the land trust, which then has the authority and obligation to enforce the terms of the easement "in perpetuity." The landowner still owns the property and can use it, sell it, or leave it to heirs, but the restrictions of the easement stay with the land forever. |
